Hormones Acting Up
by jedikhaleesi
Summary: It's high school for the Star Wars prequel and Clone Wars characters :) Rated T for language. Fluffy and a little angst. Please give this fanfic some lovin'.
1. Chapter 1

**The Coruscanti Secondary School for Talented Children**

**Whoa, that's a mouthful. You can also call this Star Wars High School, lol. The actual title for this fic is, as you know, Hormones Acting Up.**

"You look excited, dear," Shmi said, noting Ahsoka's happy face.

She nodded eagerly. Today was her first day at the Coruscanti Secondary School for Talented Children. Her brother, Anakin, had been accepted last year as a quarterback, and she'd been accepted because of her talent with martial arts. Luckily, it didn't cost anything (the school was funded purely by rich alumni), or their mother would never be able to afford it.

"Heard some good things from Ani, I suppose?"

"Yeah... a lot about his friends and his girlfriend."

"Padmé's not my girlfriend!" Anakin said, pausing to look up from his eggs.

"You've already met Rex, though," Shmi replied, barreling over her son, "I thought you liked him." Rex was Anakin's best friend, and he was an absolutely moving writer and an even better speaker. Shmi and Ahsoka had read some of his 'crappy drafts' and they'd been amazing.

"He's really cool, but I really want to meet Padme," Shmi's adopted daughter said, looking pointedly at Anakin. Padme was a junior, getting preened to become a Senator, and it was obvious that Anakin liked her (even if he tried to deny it).

"She's not my girlfriend!" he exclaimed.

OooOooO

Ahsoka stepped out of the speeder, heart light and a smile on her face. Anakin slung his arm around her shoulders protectively, grinning at everyone he passed. Not surprisingly, they grinned back. Her brother _was_ popular, after all.

"Anakin!" someone shouted, and they both turned to see a harried auburn-haired, gray-eyed teenager rushing toward them, his arms full of books and papers.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin exclaimed as the other young man caught up to them. "Great to see you."

Oh, so this was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Known as the greatest student the CSSTC had ever had. He was just as popular as Anakin, but he was an all-around guy- a football player, an A student, a swimmer, a track runner, a saxophone player in the jazz band, and on top of that a truly likeable person. So likeable, he'd had a different girlfriend each year- as a freshman, Cerasi Vucora; as a sophomore, Siri Tachi, and as a junior, Satine Kryze.

"And you are?" Obi-Wan asked Ahsoka suddenly, pausing in his complaints to her brother about something that sounded like '_itssenioryearandidunnowhatimgonnadobecausethecolle gelettershaven'tcomebackyetand' _and, after pausing to take a breath, '_satinesreallymadatmebecauseidumpedherandshewontbel ievemeandnowshewantstomakemylifehell'_.

"I'm Ahsoka Tano," she answered proudly.

Then the bell rang.

"Get to your class!" Anakin exclaimed, surprised, and pushed her down the hallway towards her classroom.

OooOooO

She was late, the homeroom teacher was blabbering on about something, and there was one empty seat. So Ahsoka sat down next to someone wearing a black, baggy cloak pulled far over her forehead and a long black skirt. So it was a girl.

"Hi," she whispered, smiling brightly at her.

The hood moved to the right, and two bright blue eyes peeked out. "Hello," came a soft, timid, but definitely feminine, voice. Ahsoka mentally betted herself that under the extremely loose cloak was a very pretty girl.

She stuck her hand out. "I'm Ahsoka Tano."

"And I'm Barriss Offee," the girl said so softly it was only a mumble, gently reaching out and squeezing her hand.

Ahsoka grinned at her and turned back to the teacher.

"There are two Senatorial candidates in our class this year," the stiff, gray-haired woman announced. "Please acknowledge Mr. Lux Bonteri and Miss Riyo Chuchi."

The blue-skinned, golden-eyed girl on the other side of Ahsoka stood, silver jewelry softly clanking together as she brushed a strand of lavender hair behind her ear. She glanced around the room almost nervously, so Ahsoka smiled at her. The girl- Riyo- smiled gratefully back.

Ahsoka looked at the boy who was standing- Lux, was it?- with black hair that almost fell into his dark green eyes. He was cute. Like, really cute.

OooOooO

As Barriss was about to get up from her chair, she felt a hand on her forearm through her thick cloak.

"Hey, wait for me, would you, Barriss?" the little Togruta on her right, Ahsoka, asked, shuffling her papers into a thick white binder.

"Sure," she mumbled, watching the oldest Fett, a senior, walk by.

The Fetts were not to be trifled with, especially their father, Jango. His eldest son, Cody (the one Barriss was watching) had been accepted to the CSSTC as a musician. He played some string instrument or something. That didn't mean he wasn't taught in the Fett trade- assassination.

"What do you have next?" Ahsoka asked, and Barriss turned to answer.

"I've got history," Riyo answered.

"Same here!" the energetic girl exclaimed.

"Actually, so do I," Barriss murmured, looking down at her schedule.

"Great! Let's all walk together then!"

OooOooO

Following Barriss and Riyo, Ahsoka scanned the cafeteria for her brother. Having spotted him, she eagerly grabbed a tray, loaded it, and headed in his direction.

"Where are you going, Ahsoka?" the Pantoran girl asked from behind her, boots slapping against the tiled floor.

"To my brother," she answered eagerly.

"Anakin Skywalker?" Barriss inquired, her soft voice conveying confusion.

"Yeah. I was adopted."

Ahsoka reached the table and took stock of its occupants. There was Anakin, Rex, Obi-Wan, a guy who looked like a slightly older version of Rex but without the bleached hair, and a very pretty brunette girl. As well as some other people, too, but she was just focusing on the people she had a chance of knowing.

"Hey, Annie," she said, grinning at him.

"Hey, 'Soka. Say hi to Padme and Cody."

She did.

"Did you make any friends yourself, Snips?"

"Yeah," she answered, turning. Her friends were standing awkwardly by themselves, watching her. "That's Barriss and Riyo."

Padme, the pretty brunette girl, spoke. "Riyo? Riyo Chuchi? You're running for Senator of the Pantora sector, right?"

The girl nodded, smiled, and slid in next to Anakin's soon-to-be-girlfriend. Or I'm-totally-in-denial-but-she's-my-girlfriend. Now it was just Barriss standing, darting looks between her tray and Ahsoka.

"What's your talent?" Obi-Wan asked her gently.

"Music," the Mirialan answered, just as quietly.

Cody perked up. "What instrument?"

Barriss' bright blue gaze shifted to him, the folds of her black cloak moving. "The piano, mainly."

Obi-Wan sighed dramatically, a smile moving the corners of his lips upward. "Finally! Cody here-"

The aforementioned person interrupted him eagerly. "Great! I've been looking for a partner to practice this amazing duet I found..."

Barriss sat down next to him, a timid smile making its way onto her face as Cody explained what he wanted to do.

So Ahsoka grinned at her brother and started pestering Rex.

OooOooO

**Now just some random snippets.**

She couldn't believe she was talking to _Padme Amidala._

Padmé was the most looked-up to political figure among young, aspiring protégés like herself. She had been a very competent Queen Regent for the sector of Naboo. She had cleverly disguised herself as a handmaiden and used decoys-

Riyo still couldn't believe she was talking to Padmé.

Cody was so eager about his duet. He played the cello; and after hearing that she also played the clarinet and flute, grew even more excited- apparently he had parts for those instruments too.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, seemed a little less eager to help his friend out. Of course, the eldest Fett had managed to rope him into doing something and had dug up a violin part, ignoring his friend's protest of 'I haven't played the violin in years!'.

She tuned back into the conversation. "... So, if you're going to do this with us, Barriss, you're going to have to take down that hood of yours, especially if we end up doing it on the stage."

"What?" she exclaimed, surprised. Ahsoka and her brother turned to look at her- that was the loudest she'd been all day.

"Come on, you can't always hide behind that hood," Cody said, motioning to her cloak. "Besides, it's got to be seriously hot under that."

"It is black, after all," Obi-Wan added.

Barriss pursed her lips, knowing they wouldn't be able to see her expression. "Maybe," she mumbled. "Maybe."

"Stop pestering her, Cody," the younger Fett, Rex, scolded. "You know Mirial's a very religious sector."

His brother shrugged.

_That's not why we hide behind headdresses and cloaks,_ Barriss wanted to say. _That's not it at all._

**I'll update this probably once every three or four weeks, so I have enough time to think of something to write.**

**~jedikhaleesi**


	2. Chapter 2: On The Bus

**On The Bus**

**Hi. Updating faster than I thought I would. So my pace: every three weeks, or less depending on how quickly I can write a chapter.**

"You've never talked so much about your music piece as you did yesterday with Barriss," Obi-Wan remarked to Cody, leaning casually back in his seat and smiling in greeting towards Satine.

She glared at him. Understandable. He'd dumped her, after all- she was the only girl he'd ever dumped, actually. Siri had left him in the dust and Cerasi...

He preferred not to think about it.

"I was just really eager to figure out if she wanted to do it with us," his friend answered, scrawling some last-minute homework.

Obi-Wan meant his next sentence to convey a light tone, but somehow a little bit of anger from remembering what happened to Cerasi crept into it. "You should really do your homework the night before, not on the bus."

"I don't have time," Cody snapped, retaliating to his tone. "Training my brothers to learn what that drunk bastard we call a father wants us to takes most of the night, you know."

He sighed and took the notebook and pencil from his friend in apology. The moving bus made his normally neat handwriting just messy enough to pass for Cody's. Relieved of his homework, the eldest Fett closed his eyes for a cat nap.

OooOooO

Echo watched as the 'rich-as-fuck neighborhood' of the Pantora sector, as his father called it, came into view.

"You want to see her," said a voice in his ear.

He sighed. "She's pretty, Fives. Why wouldn't I?"

"A lot of girls are pretty. You should try to get one that's in your league, not a million miles above it."

"But all the books have lowly servants becoming lovers to kings and queens," Echo protested. "Can't it be that way in real life?"

"Those are _books_, vode, and that is so cliché. The girl you want won't have you. Find one who'll appreciate your weaponry skills."

Right then, students from the neighborhood began pouring into the bus. Echo began searching for her. She was easy to find, all blue-skinned grace and golden-eyed determination.

_Riyo,_ he thought, rolling her name on his tongue. _Riyo._

OooOooO

Yané took her usual seat next to the boy with the dark hair. He nodded quickly and turned away just as fast, leaving her disappointed. She'd been trying to gather up the courage to talk to him her whole freshman year. It hadn't happened, and she had a feeling it never would.

So instead of sitting mired in her own thoughts, listening to him chat with his friends, Yané pulled out her designs for what would soon become the most efficient and brilliant series of surveillance cameras in the world (at least, that was what she hoped).

She began sketching her newest idea, a sphere with lenses all over it. Soon, though, she became aware of someone looking over her shoulder.

Yané turned her head quickly, ready to smash that person's face into her notebook, when she bumped heads with _him. _

"Ohmygoodness, I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, drawing back from him and rubbing her forehead.

He smiled ruefully at her. "No, it's me who should be sorry. I was spying on you after all."

She raised an eyebrow. "Was that on purpose?"

"What, the irony?" he asked.

Yané nodded, moving to put away her designs.

"Hey, don't put those away!" the boy exclaimed. "They're great. Would- would-" here he seemed to get stuck.

"Say it, Ferus," snickered one of his friends, a silver-skinned Teevan.

"Would you let me see them?" the newly identified 'Ferus' asked.

Yané smiled. "Sure."

OooOooO

Rabé admired Sabé's profile in the early morning light- her graceful neck, serene brown eyes, straight nose, and cascading black hair. She almost felt like kissing her then- but that would be a shock to Sabé, who was far from being like she was.

_I'll have her,_ she thought, determined. _One day._

"Rabé! Sabé!" Padmé exclaimed from behind them, having just gotten on the bus. She was from the mountain neighborhood of the Naboo sector- they were from the main Theed neighborhood.

Rabé turned to face her friend and former Queen Regent. Padmé seemed to be the type of girl Sabé would go les for- brilliant, drop dead gorgeous, and kind. "Hey, Padmé."

"I was wondering if you two want to continue being in the É society," the girl said, smiling a beautiful white smile.

_Another chance to see Sabé?_ She thought. _Padmé, you don't even have to ask. _"Sure," she answered, the same time as her companion did.

OooOooO

By the time the bus reached the Mirial sector, Cody had had a long enough cat nap to take his homework back from Obi-Wan, thank him, and smooth down his hair.

"Any reason for the grooming?" his best friend asked. "Wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Mirialan, would it?"

He glared helplessly at Obi-Wan. "Aren't I allowed to care about my appearance?"

"That's so vain, Cody," Rex said, twisting his body around from the seat in front of them. He was sitting so that his feet covered the seat next to him, completely hogging it. "But, would you like to switch with me so that you can offer this seat to a sweet and religious girl whose name might be Barriss Offee?"

"She's a freshman," he muttered. "I'm a senior."

"Your point being?" Fives asked, popping his head in between Obi-Wan and Cody's. "Ages don't make a difference. Shouldn't make a difference."

"The way status shouldn't make a difference," Echo noted thoughtfully, looking at the Pantoran Senatorial candidate.

"It will always make a difference, vode," Rex said softly. "I'm sorry."

Their youngest brother stared down at his feet, obviously disappointed. Rex was the one all their brothers looked to for answers that applied to real life, and the answer this time was a sad one. Obi-Wan sent him a sympathetic look, then gave Rex a look that said _Thanks so much for crushing his hope of being with the girl he likes._ A look Cody should have been giving.

"Is the seat next to you empty?" a soft voice asked from in front of him. Cody, startled, messed up his neat pile of papers.

He looked up to see Barriss, or the lump of moving cloth that was Barriss. She wasn't even talking to him, for heaven's sake- she was asking _Rex_ that question. So he gathered his papers into a pile again, not as neatly as before, and tried to ignore the stare Obi-Wan and probably Fives was giving him.

"Is everything all right with you, Cody? Your brothers and Obi-Wan are staring at you," she remarked, blue eyes barely peeking out from underneath her cloak as she sat down next to Rex.

"I'm fine," he mumbled, gazing down at his math homework for no reason at all.

Barriss turned back to face the front with impeccable posture. In fact, if Cody had been sitting next to her, he guessed that he would have seen her fold her hands and cross her ankles.

"Stop staring like Echo is," Fives whispered in his ear, and Cody ended up accidentally sending his papers flying across the bus while he tried to avoid backhanding his own brother in the face.

OooOooO

Riyo watched amusedly as the oldest Fett scrambled to pick up all his papers, and even more amusedly as her new friend's cloak moved slowly, as if her eyes were watching his every movement. It was so obvious that the two had fallen in love at first sight, even if nobody had actually seen what Barriss looked like.

She looked up from observing him to see a younger Fett get suddenly pushed by his twin brother in front of her. "Hi," she said tentatively.

He ruffled the hair on the back of his neck awkwardly. "Hey. Um, Riyo, right?"

"That's me."

He grinned at her sheepishly, and she couldn't help but smile back. "I'm Echo."

"Interesting name," she commented, and slid over to make space for him. He sat down, still ruffling his hair.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm Echo because I 'echo'-" here he used air quotes- "the rules. Basically, I follow the rules more often than my brothers."

"That's good," Riyo said conversationally, and then thought a little more. "Wait, you said _more_ often."

"Uh..."


	3. Chapter 3: In Which I Introduce People

**Chapter 3**

**In Which People are Introduced**

**That's the lamest title in history. Mostly because I couldn't think of anything else.**

Echo had no idea how he managed to make it off the bus and to his locker without falling flat on his face. He was sure that he couldn't have done anything about the humongous smile on his face, though.

"Oh no," Fives groaned, watching him spin the combination a little too enthusiastically. "That conversation was supposed to crush your hopes, not lift them higher!"

"She's so nice," Echo said dreamily. "She's beautiful and kind and a great conversationalist-"

"And everything a hormonal, rule-following Fett like you would want," his brother finished, sighing dramatically.

"There's a reason Cody put in that rule about bungee-jumping off the highest buildings in the sector."

"I survived, didn't I?"

OooOooO

Ahsoka was leading them to the table they'd sat at yesterday when Barriss spotted her cousin Luminara sitting uncomfortably next to the É society, a bunch of girls from the Naboo sector. They interned for Padmé Amidala and were an extremely exclusive- all the girls' names ended in _é._ Their head, Eirtaé, was Nara's friend, so the whole Society liked to sit at that table.

She tapped Riyo on the shoulder, and the Pantoran's golden eyes turned to face her. "Yes, Barriss?"

"I'm going to sit with my cousin," she said softly.

"Actually, I'm not going to sit with Ahsoka today either," Riyo replied. "I promised Echo."

"Echo?" Barriss asked.

"The younger twin Fett."

"Alright. I'll see you later."

"See you."

Barriss set her lunch tray down on the table across from Luminara. "Hi, Nara."

"Barriss," the other Mirialan said warmly, smiling at her. "How have you been so far?"

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Nara. "Where's your headdress?"

Her cousin looked vaguely surprised, then an 'oh, I get it' expression dawned on her face. She produced the lump of cloth from her side, where it had probably been sitting on the bench.

"Nara, why would you take it off? You know it's not allowed."

The other girl sighed. "Barriss, it's my last year here. I'm trying to get a date for prom, and hiding underneath layers and layers of clothes won't help. Plus, it's just _so hot._"

"That's incredibly shallow!" she exclaimed. "Just because you want a date doesn't mean you disobey all our rules. There's a reason it's put in!"

"It's only my headdress! Just my hair!"

"If you keep going in that direction, you'll be dressed like a slut soon."

"We all look like sluts at home anyways!"

She had a point there. As soon as they got to their sector, everybody looked different- no restricting, hot, dark clothes- just really revealing ones. It was too hot to wear anything else.

"Please, just try it, cousin. Take down your hood. It feels good."

Barriss considered. She loved her cousin- but to the point of disobeying their parents?

"Please?"

She nodded, and Luminara's face split into a wide-open grin. "On three?"

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

Barriss pushed back her hood, hair tumbling free, and smiled at her cousin.

OooOooO

"Whoa," Anakin breathed. "I've never seen Luminara smile like that."  
Padmé twisted around to stare at the two Mirialans. "Isn't that your friend, Ahsoka?"

"Yeah, that's Barriss. She seems so... social with Luminara," she observed. "I mean, she was practically hiding inside that cloak yesterday."

"Shut your mouth, Cody," Rex said suddenly, and all three of them turned to face the eldest Fett, who did indeed have his mouth open.

Cody flushed and practically faceplanted into his sandwich in an effort to evade Obi-Wan's pointed stare.

"But seriously, I don't think I've ever seen Nara that social," Anakin reiterated.

"Nara?" Padmé asked suspiciously, and with a hint of jealousy.

"She lets me call her Nara," he explained. "And basically anyone who cares to be her friend."

The other girl looked at her tray to hide her embarrassment..

"They're really pretty like that," Ahsoka noted, watching Barriss toss a curl of dark hair over her shoulder. "I thought Luminara was really stiff."

"She's not," Obi-Wan piped in, before Anakin could get Padmé all worked up again. "She's sarcastic, and funny, and kind."

"You gonna crush her heart, too?" a cold, feminine voice asked.

OooOooO

He stiffened, knowing exactly who it was. "Satine, our breakup was for the better."

"More like for the worse."

"If you must look at it that way. I don't know why we can't be friends again."

Someone grabbed his face and twisted it sharply so that he was looking directly into his ex's steel blue eyes. "You left me waiting for you on our six-month anniversary. For three hours. And then you told me that family prevailed over love."

"There was an emergency at home," he said, trying to quash the anger that was beginning to bubble in his stomach.

"That's your excuse, huh? Do you think I really believe that your father got stabbed by an insane Zabrak?" she hissed, and let go of him.

Then she slapped him. _Thwap._

There was a collectively horrified gasp from around the cafeteria as Obi-Wan blinked the spots out of his vision. And the tears, too, but hopefully no one saw those.

"Satine!" someone exclaimed. "You know the Academy punishes violence."

Good old Padmé.

"Does it punish emotional violence? Then Obi-Wan needs to be expelled."

He tried not to let that sting too much.

OooOooO

Gree stepped inside the school doors and closed his eyes, sighing. All the tension left him as he smiled, ready for a new year- his last- with his brothers.

Then it hit him. If this was his last year, it was his year to ask someone out to prom.

And he knew exactly who to ask.

"Back from the Zeltron sector so soon?" someone asked, and Gree's smile returned. There she was.

"Trust me, Taé, you wouldn't want to stay there too long either."

"They try to jump you?"she asked, coming around into his field of vision. Soft blond hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

"You wouldn't believe how many," he sighed.

She laughed... and then about twenty other girls laughed.

The É society. All talented girls, headed by Eirtaé, but some more so than others. To the point that there were only five Gree really liked to socialize with: Sabé, Rabé, Yané, Saché, and Taé, of course.

"I suppose your taste is more towards humans then," one in a tube top and a tight skirt suggested, giving him this suggestive glance. Strange. The Nabooans were a very modest people.

"_Dané_," Taé scolded.

Oh. That É was still in training. A freshman, he supposed.

"So, want me to walk with you to the office so you can get your schedule?" his friend asked.

"Yeah, sure," he replied, sticking his hand into his pockets.

They strolled down the hall, Gree observing the new paint and waving to people. He caught a glimpse of wavy black hair and green skin and a familiar face-

"_Nara_?" he yelled, surprised.

Two Mirialans swiveled around to face him, one of which he didn't know, but the other was his best friend. And she always would be.

"Gree!" she exclaimed, dropping her binder and running to hug him. He lifted her right off the ground and spun around, her hair flying around wildly.

"Ohmygoodness, I haven't seen you in forever!" Luminara continued, squeezing him and then stepping back. "So, where did you go this time?"

"To the Zeltron sector," he answered, following her and kneeling on the floor to help her rearrange the papers that had fallen. Eirtaé tugged his arm impatiently, but he gave her a _just-a-second-glance_.

Nara seemed to tense up slightly, but maybe that was just a trick of the eye. "Oh."

"Lots of sluts there."

"It is the Zeltron sector," a new voice added, and Gree raised his head to find the other Mirialan girl smiling at him kindly.

"That's my cousin Barriss," Nara explained.

He stood up. "Nice to meet you, Barriss."

The girl smiled at him again, blue eyes twinkling almost as if she knew something.

"We should go," Eirtaé said politely, pulling on Gree's arm. "Before the after-lunch rush."

The Mirialans nodded, both suddenly straightening their postures as if ashamed to be seen slouching. Which made sense, considering the formality of the Mirialan religion...

"I'll see you around?" Luminara asked Taé, who nodded stiffly and pulled Gree along.

After a few minutes of rather awkward silence, his friend pushed open the door to the office, and he entered.

Rex looked up. Then looked back down. And right back up.

"BRO!" He yelled, running around the desk and launching himself at Gree. He stumbled back, laughing, and straight into Cody.

"GREE!" his slightly older brother shouted in his ear, crushing him.

"GREE!" Echo and Fives yelled, adding to the big family hug.

At that moment, he couldn't have been happier.

**Please read and review :))) It makes my day.**

**And I'm waiting for that essay My tiny baby-blue tinted world. XD**

**~jedikhaleesi**


	4. Chapter 4: Extracurriculars

**Extracurriculars**

**I kind of took longer to get this up because I was so lazy with the chapter I just finished.**

"Miss Risdres!"

Sabé turned at the sound of her name, wondering why the varsity swim coach, the ever-smiling Nautolan Kit Fisto, was calling her. "Yes, Coach Fisto?"

"You're on varsity this year, Risdres. Impress me." With that, Coach Fisto walked away, offering his arm to Aayla Secura, a sophomore. The rumors about those two...

But Sabé was not a rumor mill like Ellé, who managed to know all kinds of things even though she was still in middle school, and so she would leave them well enough alone and focus on herself.

Rabé squealed excitedly all of a sudden, and she was thrown back to the present. "Omigosh, you're in varsity now with me! Awesome!"

She smiled affectionately at her best friend, who was babbling away about matching swimwear, when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Good job, Risdres," a voice said, one she could tell belonged to a certain Obi-Wan Kenobi, king of the school.

She turned to grin at her summer coach. "Are you taking credit for my success, Kenobi?"

"Of course," he replied, grinning back.

"Can I talk to you?" Rabé snapped suddenly and coldly at Obi-Wan, grabbing his arm and hauling him down the hallway. The auburn-haired teenager, surprised, appealed to Sabé with his eyes.

"...Rabé?"

"I'll catch up with you later, Sabé," the girl called, still dragging Obi-Wan along with her.

Confused, Sabé watched them for a moment, then proceeded to the last class of the day.

OooOooO

"-the _hell_, Panaka-" Obi-Wan muttered as Rabé let go of his blazer sleeve, sitting down on a desk in the empty classroom.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" the little Nabooan girl snarled. "You man-whore, trying to win over Sabé-"

"Wait, what?" he asked. "Sabé's my friend."

"You weren't friends last year," she pointed out.

"I was teaching her during the summer, improving her swimming technique. I'm friendly, she's friendly. How can we not be friends?"

"Well, look, man-whore, I don't care!" Rabé hissed dangerously, actually getting off the desk and waving her finger in his face. "I don't want you to break her heart like you did all your previous girlfriends-"

"I didn't break their hearts! Well, maybe Satine's, but she's the only one..."

"Only that Tachi girl can testify to having dumped you. I don't know what happened with that Cerasi, but I bet you crushed her soul."

He tried not to lose control, because he had _not_ crushed Cerasi, Cerasi had-

No. No. He couldn't go there.

Rabé seemed to have noticed something in his body language, because there was a flash of fear in her eyes before she regained her furious demeanor.

"So I'm warning you, man-whore. Leave Sabé well alone, or you'll be dealing with me."

With that, she stalked out of the classroom, leaving him somewhere between absolutely angry and absolutely puzzled.

OooOooO

"Ellé?"

The 13-year-old chose one more book and then closed her locker, pivoting her body slightly to face the other girl. "Rabé, you should be at swim practice."

She didn't even bother asking the middle schooler how she knew that. "I need your help."

"Straightforward, aren't you?" Ellé noted, beginning to walk to her aftercare classroom. 'Well, what do you want?"

"I need information on Cerasi Vucora."

The girl stopped suddenly, surprise flashing across her face. "That is... an interesting topic."

"So you know something?"

"Of course I do. If you insist on this, I can give you the information, but I would prefer not to give it to you at all- wait, what do you want to use it for?"

"To destroy Kenobi. If this continues he will end up hurting Sabé, and I can't let that happen."

"You can't stop Sabé from falling in love with him. And in fact, this information I have on Cerasi won't destroy Obi-Wan, it will endear him to everyone. To release it to anyone with a purpose similar to yours will be a total breach of privacy and my business."

"But Sabé _can't_ fall in love with _him!_" Rabé exclaimed. "He doesn't deserve her!" He didn't deserve those warm brown eyes smiling at him, that long black hair slipping through his fingers...

"Then who does?" Ellé challenged. "You?"

OooOooO

**Haven't done Ahsoka in a while... so...**

"I have nothing to do," Ahsoka whined. "I finished homework and tryouts for new members for almost every club aren't until next week. Plus Anakin won't let me go home until he finishes football practice."

Riyo looked up from her geometry book, taking in her friend who was sprawled on the floor of the almost empty gym, and then glanced at the clock. "I have an option for you."  
"Go find Barriss and force her to tell us every detail about that 'music session' with Cody?" The Togruta asked hopefully.

"There's that," she allowed, "or you could go with me to the debate club and stare at Lux like you did in homeroom."

If it was possible, Ahsoka turned redder than she already was. "A-Actually, I think I'll stick with hunting down Barriss."

"You sure? Because I'm going now," she warned, scooping up her books and her backpack.

"Okay, okay!" her friend exclaimed, giving in and springing up.

"Thought so," Riyo smirked, linking her arm with Ahsoka's. "Let's go."

OooOooO

"All you're here for is to write stuff for us..."

"Don't forget your place..."

"Spawn of a whore and a pimp..."

"Your thoughts don't count..."

"What do you mean, he has thoughts?"

Rex growled to himself as he stretched out his legs. That debate club was made of spoiled brats, the lot of them.

Well, _most_ of them. Riyo and Padmé were okay.

The worst part was, not only had those brats insulted him, they'd gone after his brothers, too.

"Fett! What are you doing? Track practice is on Fridays!" Coach Windu, in all his bald glory, yelled from the bleachers. "And in case you don't know, it's a Tuesday!"

"I just need a little time, sir!" he shouted.

The coach seemed to understand, eyeing him for a moment and then settling down to 'supervise' him. Otherwise known as telling him when to start and tossing around degrading comments when Rex knew that the man was really kind at heart.

He set himself in the ready position, driving all thoughts from his head. Something in his subconscious was already screaming _Go, go, go,_ but he ignored it and waited for Coach Windu.

"Move your ass, Fett!" the man yelled, and his feet automatically started.

_Run run run._

His heart sang as he sprinted. _Run run run._ He was sure there was the most humongous, silly smile possible on his face as he started following the turn of the track, but he didn't mind. _Run run run._

He turned again around the track. _Run run run._

The home stretch came up, and Rex found himself moving even faster than he already was, wind roaring in his ears, and his heart screaming in exhilaration.

He crossed the finish line laughing.

**Please, please read and review. :) ~jedikhaleesi**


	5. Chapter 5: Nice People

**Nice People**

**Here's a relatively longer chapter. As always, please read and review :)**

Ferus Olin was having the worst morning ever.

He'd woken up late, skipped breakfast to make the bus, realized he had forgotten to study for his chemistry test (which he had undoubtedly failed), and Darra had somehow managed to hit his head with her history book.

He just wanted lunch. Which was why he was trying to get to his locker and out of the hallway as soon as possible and get into the cafeteria.

And then suddenly he was faceplanting into the floor for no reason at all, his papers flying and his book slamming uncomfortably into his elbow as he tried to stop himself and hold onto his things.

"Gotta be more careful Olin!" the familiar taunting voice of Bruck Chun sneered, him and his buddies laughing. Ferus heard their footsteps as they left him lying awkwardly in the middle of the hallway.

He pushed himself up to his knees, noticing that the flow of teenagers were going around him, some staring, others chuckling, and rubbed his chin, which had hit the floor.

"Dude, are you okay?" someone asked, separating from the crowd.

"I'm fine, Skywalker," he sighed, pulling a paper off the floor just as a Falleen girl was about to step on it.

"Just making sure," the blond boy said, raising his arms in surrender and nodding at his posse to continue on their separate ways.

Ferus had never liked Anakin, and Anakin had never liked Ferus, but they weren't mean to each other. He was academically inclined, the other athletically, so it all balanced out. Especially when they tried showing the other up.

"Please, just go. I'm having the worst morning ever." With that, he scooped up his book, massaging his wrist.

"Ferus."

He turned around. "What?"

"You know, you could always stand up for yourself."

So, Skywalker was referring to those times when Chun decided to insult him. And beat him up. And throw him in the dumpster like in _Glee._

He turned back the other way. "It's too much trouble."

OooOooO

Cody winced as he straightened up from a slouch. _Thanks, Dad. Love you, too._

"You okay?" Rex muttered quietly, rubbing his own back.

"_Why so late, 7567?"_

"_Dad, sorry, I had track-"_

"_You had track? Why didn't you tell me?"_

"_Dad, he did tell you-"_

"_Excuse you, 2224! Shut up!"_

"We will be," he answered firmly.

"What? When that bastard's good and dead?" his brother hissed. "For someone who drinks so much and does drugs every other day, he's still really alive!"

"_This is for your own good."_

"_Dad, no!"_

"_Gree, get back!"_

"_1004, listen to your brother. Now. Unless you want to join them?'_

"_No, sir." It was a reluctant whisper._

"_Now, as I was saying, this was for your own good, 7567, 2224."_

"You two all right?" Ahsoka asked, drawing their attention.  
"Fine," they replied automatically.

"_Dad, please, stop!" Echo._

"_Please!" A desperate Fives._

"_Keep your voices down, idiots. And you!" It was directed at Gree. "Make them shut up."_

"_Yes, sir."_

Barriss and Luminara, who had joined their table that day, were looking at them suspiciously. Gree's eyes were flicking between the Mirialans and his brothers, trying to figure out if the girls had made the connection yet.

Cody straightened up some more, resisting the impulse to scream as someone's tray accidentally brushed his back.

_A knock on the door, and Tiger walked in._

"_Got your bottles, Daddy."_

"_There's my girl!" Cody and Rex took it as an opportunity to bolt to their room. "Good girl, Tiger."_

"_Thanks, Daddy." Somber gold eyes met Gree's, and he nodded to his sister, confirming her unasked question. "Let me take that."_

"'_Course, Tiger. Don't know why I have it anyways." And that was said after Jango had downed half the first bottle._

"_Neither do I, Daddy. Bye, Gree. Echo. Fives. Boba." The girl walked out, the belt in hand._

OooOooO

When Cody entered the music room, wincing as he tried to pretend he could still carry his cello case properly, he was met by a pair of girls with piercing blue eyes and black tattoos stark against their green skin.

And they were angry.

"Barriss?"

"Put the cello down." Luminara's voice was colder than he'd ever heard it, and she wasn't the nicest person in the first place.

"Nara?"

"Put it down," Barriss repeated, staring at him.

He set the huge instrument down on the floor. "What's going on?"

"Shirt off."

Cody stared at her, confused. "Why? I mean- because-"

"Take it off now, Fett." It was a direct order.

He took his time, unbuttoning his shirt slowly as he tried to figure out what was going on.

And then he realized that they had to know.

They knew.

His fingers paused at the last button.  
"Fett," Luminara growled.

Slowly, tremblingly, he undid the last button and shrugged the collared shirt over his shoulders, folding it neatly in his arms.

"Turn around," Barriss said, complexion reddening slightly. Great. So she was really angry, then.

He did.

It pounded in his brain.

_They know._

_They know._

_They know._

"God_damn._" Luminara, and she was not happy.

He heard someone move forward, and suddenly there was a light, soothing touch moving across his scars and yesterday's marks. Someone's fingers.

"How long has this been going on?" It was a soft question from Barriss, a humongous change from her earlier anger.

He trembled under her touch as it roamed over his shoulders, closing his eyes.

"_Dad?"_

"_You're a big boy, 2224. I think it's time you got to know how the real world treats you."_

"_Okay, Dad. What is that?"_

"_The tool I'm going to use to teach you."_

Words suddenly escaped from his mouth. "It started when I was eight."

A simultaneous intake of breath from the girls.

"You need to tell someone." This time, Nara sounds like she's begging him.

"And what, have my brothers' father figure taken away?"

"That's a terrible father figure you have," Barriss spat, removing her hand, and the tingles where she had touched him fade away.

He whipped around. "He's the only father figure we'll have."

The two girls shook their heads in unison. "Be that way," the younger one whispers, and they leave him, brushing past, heads held high.

**So... a lot of switching between past and present tense, I know. Um... yeah.**

OooOooO

"So, on a scale of one to ten, what would you rate Padmé?"

"Ten," Versé said confidently.

"Pretend she isn't our employer," Cordé said, rolling her eyes.

This took her some time. "Nine."

"Rabé."

Versé snickered. "Five. She's so ugly."

"Sabé."

"Nine. She's on fi-yah!" This was pronounced with the rapid opening and closing of the girl's hands.

"Saché."

"Six."

"Eirtaé?"

"With that snooty air, two. Otherwise, six. Your turn- umm, Ellé."

"For thirteen, she's such a bitch," Cordé whispered, scowling. "Three."

"Yané."

"Four. She's always explaining things to me like I'm stupid."

"No way," Versé murmured, making an _OMG-what-a-bitch_ face. "She does it to me, too. But wait- who gets a ten?"

"Us of course," Cordé giggled, and then suddenly turned white.

The other girl slowly turned around, fearing what she might see.

One of Yané's security cameras was dangling over Versé's head with a note attached:

_We love you, too._

_From, Yané and Ellé._

"I guess they get tens too?" Cordé asked weakly.

**A/N: Tiger's an OC, one of Jango's daughters.**

**Please read and review :)) It would make my day.**

**~jedikhaleesi**


	6. Chapter 6: Homecoming, Part 1

Homecoming, Part 1

**Please, please review. Seriously. I'm begging you. I have about 0 reviews for 3 chapters. Please. I'll even take flames now.**

The PA system crackled. "Master Yoda this is," came the slow voice.

Everyone sighed. Old Master Yoda was extremely old, extremely wise, and extremely insane.

What other headmaster made him call you "Master", forced you to do upside-down handstands when you went into his office, lectured you about some mystical thing called the "Force", and had outlived the 700-year-old school?

"An announcement I have to make," he continued. "Next month, the homecoming dance will be."

Students began whispering among themselves, no doubt gossiping already.

"All, that is. See you then, I will."

OooOooO

He looked around the room, deciding who to take to the homecoming dance. Or, actually, who to ask. He'd obviously be accepted.

Chuchi? Nope, she didn't stand out. Just another Senatorial candidate.

Definitely not that lump of moving cloth that only ever took off her hood after lunch. Offee might be pretty, but his type wasn't stuck-up Mirialans.

Ugh, not that slut batting her eyes in the corner.

Choosing someone a grade above him would give the impression that the woman had the power. Nope. The woman had to be pure eye candy.

He needed someone fun. Someone likeable. Someone beautiful.

There was a crash, and his head turned around reflexively. Chuchi and Offee were laughing at their friend, a red-skinned Togruta who had been balancing a book precariously in the flat spot between her montrals. Of course, it had fallen off.

The girl laughed with her friends, throwing her head back, but not before he had seen a set of pretty blue eyes on a pretty face.

_Perfect._

Her name was Tano, wasn't it?

He turned around, moving toward the group of three girls, and decided to just shout it out. "Tano, want to go to homecoming with me?"

The three girls' heads immediately snapped toward him, Offee giggling, Riyo almost wary, but Tano-

"Sure."

OooOooO

(that afternoon)

"Why are you so happy today?" Anakin asked, smiling.

His little sister turned around to face him, skipping backwards as they continued on to the public transport stop.

"I got asked to homecoming."

He froze immediately, smile slipping off his face. "What did you say? Who asked you?"

She stopped too, a wondering expression replacing her grin. "I said yes, of course. And it was a Senatorial candidate, if you have to know. But when did you care?"

"I'm just trying to make sure he doesn't hurt you."

Ahsoka grinned up at him, making the corners of his mouth twitch upwards even though he didn't like the idea of anyone messing with her. "Don't worry, Skyguy. I'll kick his butt to the other side of the sector if he does."

That had a very high chance of happening if the "Senatorial candidate" started messing with her. She was a black belt, after all.

"So let's work on your love life, not mine."

Anakin sighed internally- he should have known this was going to happen.

"Who are you going to ask?"

"I dunno," he answered, shrugging. "Maybe that nice Saché girl?"

"She's lez, you can't do that," Ahsoka refuted carelessly.

That was true. Saché was known for being really, really proud of her sexuality. She probably would be offended if he asked her.

"Darra?"

"Skyguy, she's after Ferus. And she'll end up accidentally tripping you if you try to dance, she's so clumsy."

Another good point.

"Well then, who do you want me to ask?"

If it was possible, Ahsoka's grin grew wider. "Ask Padmé."

Damn.

He liked Padmé a lot, just never really had the guts to tell her that.

"Skyguy, do it. I dare you."

Now he was _obligated_ to do it.

"Snips, you're the worst sister ever."

"Call her and ask now! Oh, and put her on speaker!" she squealed excitedly, stopping the flow of Coruscanti foot traffic as they paused in their walk once again.

Scowling, he flipped open his phone and dialed Padmé's number.

One ring. Two rings. Three rings.

"This is Padmé Amidala."

"Hi Padmé," he said reluctantly, frowning at Ahsoka as she pressed the speakerphone button.

"Ani?"

He winced at her incredulous tone. "Yeah, it's me."

"What's up?"

"I dare you to go with him to homecoming!" his little sister chirped brightly into the phone.

If looks could kill, the Togruta would be buried ten feet under the ground.

The phone was silent so long he was sure Padmé had hung up- but then- "I'll go with him."

OooOooO

(the next morning, on the bus)

"So, Obi-Wan, are you taking anyone to homecoming?" Cody asked.

"Nope. I'm happily single," he answered, leaning back against the seat and putting his arms behind his head.

"Puh-lease. He's gonna get a new girl hooked on by the end of the month, I bet you," Satine shot at him angrily as she passed them to sit down.

"Man-whore," her sister, Bo-Katan, threw at him casually, her hand intertwined with Pre Viszla's.

"Slut," he said boredly. He knew for a fact they were both virgins- Bo and he had always been the weird kind of friends that threw around insults as ways to greet each other.

Obi-Wan turned back to Cody, who was now staring at the back of Barriss' head.

He elbowed his friend in the ribs, eliciting a startled jump paired with a glare. "Ask her."

"She's mad at me."  
"Why would Barriss be mad at you? She's been nothing but nice to everyone, and extremely partial to you!"  
"She's mad," the other boy said, bowing his head slowly. "I know it."

"Fine then," Obi-Wan decided, pretending not to be concerned. "Don't ask her. Be a single happy guy like me."

OooOooO

"Who are you going with to homecoming?" Luminara inquired as Gree slid into the seat next to her.

"Why do you think I asked someone already?" he retorted curiously, and she could feel her cheeks heating up. _No no no. I don't want to turn purple._

"I don't know..." she shrugged. "I just... thought you had someone already."

"Damn. Am I that obvious?" he wondered.

Her heart sank, but she smiled anyways. "Yeah. Who is it?"

He looked around cautiously, glancing at his brothers, then moved closer to her until they were maybe two inches apart.

_Don't turn purple, don't turn purple._

"I'm taking Taé," he whispered, grinning like a maniac.

Taé.

Both the bane of her existence and her best friend (not including Barriss, of course). Taé was prettier, had slightly better grades (effectively beating her for valedictorian), was more popular, was (admittedly) nicer, and was just so perfect...

So there was no reason to be jealous. She had to give Gree the best, right? Even if the best wasn't her?

So she said: "Great."

**Please review. I know I sound desperate, but seriously. **

**~jedikhaleesi**


	7. Chapter 7: Homecoming, Part 2

**Chapter 7: Homecoming, Part 2**

**This chapter's mostly about Mirialans, Anakin, and Padme.**

By the time Luminara and Barriss had reached the school, music was already making the ground thud underneath their feet.

Nara turned to her cousin, whose eyes were eagerly flitting around, and said, "Take off your cloak."

The girl turned to her, confused. "What?"

"Take it off. If you dance, you won't need it. Just tie it around your waist-" and here she demonstrated by doing it for Barriss herself, then rolled up her sleeves and pulled the pins out of her hair.

"Oh, so that's why you look like that," her cousin realized, referring to Luminara's own rolled-up sleeves and loose hair.

She smiled, then stepped into the area of lights and people, bringing Barriss by the arm gently.

"Nara! Come join us!"

She turned at Taé's voice, waving goodbye to her fellow Mirialan, then went over to the É Society.

"Hello," Padmé Amidala said politely, arm linked with her date, Anakin Skywalker.

Since when did Amidala talk to her?

"Hello," she answered, then turned to the much more interesting sophomore. "Skywalker, have you found any good Coruscanti-sector restaurants lately?"

His eyes lit up and he practically jerked his arm away from Amidala, who started glaring at her. Luminara chose to ignore the scandalized expressions and gasps that came from most of the É Society (including Taé, but really, did she have to care?)

"You have no idea, Nara." At this Amidala's glare grew even more intense. "I went exploring with Ahsoka and my mom during the summer, and we found this little hole-in-the-wall named Dex's Diner-"

"Hey girls. Skywalker."

She decided to also ignore Gree in favor of listening to Anakin babble about Dex's ice cream, but no, he had to grab her attention.

"Hey, Nara."

And then he swept Taé away to dance. The gaggle of girls that had been sticking around Padmé moved to coo over them, dragging a protesting Skywalker in their wake.

So somehow, in the throbs of the song and surrounded by so many people, she managed to feel alone.

OooOooO

Barriss found Ahsoka quickly enough- she was on Lux's arm, smiling and injecting humor into a group of rich kids' conversation.

"Barriss! I'm glad you could make it," Riyo said, beaming at her.

Her date, Echo, randomly chose that time to say, "Don't drink the punch."

Everyone stared at him. "What?" Bonteri asked.

"Fives just spiked it," he answered quietly. "As of right now. So the cups you're holding should be fine."

"I was done anyways, so it doesn't matter," a Rodian said, throwing his plastic cup on the field.

Barriss watched the punch fly all over the artificial turf, mouth opening in shock.

"What are you looking at?" the Rodian hissed at her, annoyed.

"N-Nothing."

"Then dance with me," he commanded, stretching out his hand.

Thankfully, Ahsoka decided to stop him then and there. "Leave Barriss alone!" Eyes blazing, she moved forward and off her date's arm, Riyo quickly following.

It seemed like a millennia before the green-skinned alien backed down under her friends' glares.

"Offee!"

She turned in the direction of the shout, glad for a distraction. Coming towards her was Fives, Echo's twin. He flirted with her way too much, but she liked him well enough.

"Hello," she said, trying not to smile as he winked at Ahsoka, causing Bonteri to regard him like he was some disgusting animal.

"Lookin' gorgeous, Pantora," this was directed at Riyo, who was rolling her eyes at him, and he hooked Barris' arm with his.

In spite of herself, she giggled.

"Look, Mirial," Fives said as he moved away from the group, bringing her along. "A lot of the stuffy Senatorial candidates want to do some waltzes, but that requires instruments. Cody has his cello for some random reason, but we were only able to scrape up a violin for a second part and Obi-Wan's too drunk to do anything-" (here Barriss was sure the cause of his drunkenness was the punch.) "-Do you think you could play?"

That was her element, playing an instrument. "Are you kidding me? Of course!"

But wait, why was her heart swelling up in her chest- not from pride, not from eagerness to play music, but because Cody wanted to play a waltz with her?

"I thought you couldn't play the violin, though," he muttered, confused.

"Doesn't matter," she said, dismissing his concerns. "I played it once, I can play it again."

"Whatever you say."

OooOooO

"No, no, go back!" Padmé exclaimed, laughing as Anakin nearly stepped on her foot again.

"Sorry," he said, smiling brightly as he randomly turned her, completely off beat.

"Oh, Ani." But her tone was lighthearted as the first part of the waltz finally finished, and Cody and Barriss dived into another movement. Instead of the stiff music she would have been expected to waltz to, they were playing a folk song.

And how she loved folk dances.

Apparently Anakin recognized it too, because he immediately stepped back and started moving his feet perfectly.

"I always forget what this one's called," he shouted over the din, barely avoiding a giggling Riyo Chuchi, who was spinning under Echo Fett's upraised arm.

"It's a Zeltronian foursquare," she yelled back, dipping into a quick curtsy before launching into a matching series of steps.

Anakin threw his head back and laughed, but realized what he was doing quickly enough to twirl her around twice, giving her a perfect view of Fives and Ahsoka doing a mismatched salsa to the twangs of the violin.

Padmé was immediately pressed flush against him afterwards, grinning straight up at him as they moved in sync to the left and the right and the front and the back.

Then they switched partners, and suddenly Padmé was the one dancing the salsa with- wait, a drunk Ahsoka?- and then back to the foursquare with a quick-footed Gree Fett- and then she was in Anakin's arms again, flushed and having probably the best time of her life.

The foursquare ended, Barriss practically throwing her instrument down in pure exhaustion, Cody grinning like a madman as he raised his bow triumphantly; Gree with Taé somehow piggybacking on his shoulders; Luminara, who had been frowning, laughing as a drunk Obi-Wan dipped her, almost dropping her; Rabé and Sabé curtsying gallantly to each other; Ahsoka and Fives both clutching a rose they'd produced from somewhere between their teeth; and of course, her and Ani.

"That was amazing!" she screamed, breaking the sudden silence, and everyone laughed.

**Thank you so much to my one reviewer for the last chapter :) Could I have some more please? **

**~jedikhaleesi**


	8. Chapter 8: What to Call This

**I Don't Know What This Is**

**I have no idea what to call this chapter so there ^. Anyways, thanks much to my one reviewer. I'm so sorry I haven't posted in like forever; I haven't had enough time and I STILL haven't finished chapter 10. Whatever. Next few chapters are going to talk about Thanksgiving.**

Saché was nervous. After all, she was only fifteen and already walking into her first gay bar.

Scratch that. She wasn't walking in, she was sneaking in.

_Is this what finding love has come to?_ her homophobic mother asked desperately in her mind.

_You don't know love! _came her screeching reply.

She shook it off and pushed open the kitchen door.

Music filtered softly through the clinking of wine glasses and dishes. Saché slipped through silently, pushing open the door that actually led to the bar. The Postal Service played softly:

_I am thinking it's a sign_

_That the freckles in our eyes_

It was a nice change of scene, seeing people like her. Well, actually, extreme versions of her. Honestly, her kind could try not dressing the way stereotypes showed them.

_Are mirror images_

_And when we kiss they're perfectly aligned_

"Awww, what a cutie we have here," a woman's voice cooed to her left, and she turned her head nervously.

_And I have to speculate_

_That God himself did make_

A gorgeous woman dressed in a dark blue suit stood there, eyeing her appraisingly. She was all legs, with flowing blonde hair and perfect green eyes. And that timeless face which would never grow older than twenty-one? Just a bonus.

_Us into corresponding shapes_

_Like puzzle pieces from the clay_

Saché realized that her eyes must have grown huge, because the woman laughed. "Nea Jade. And you?"

"Saché," she whispered, eyes still wide.

_And true, it may seem like a stretch_

_But it's thoughts like this that catch_

_My troubled head when you're away_

Five more seconds of Nea looking her over, and then the blonde slung her arm over Saché's shoulders. "Brent!"

This Brent was a fine male specimen (the É Society had taught her things like "handsome" and "hot" when applied to the other gender) with a straight nose, well-styled black hair, and absolutely gorgeous gray eyes. And even though he was wearing a long red dress, complete with a feather headdress, he stared at her like _she_ was the crazy one.

Again with dressing like straight people.

_When I am missing you to death_

_When you are out there on the road_

_For several weeks of shows_

He looked at her, in a different way from Nea, but like he was piecing her identity together. Well, she knew how to do that too. She'd prove it later.

_And when you scan the radio_

"She's Nabooan."

_I hope this song will guide you home_

"A secretary to someone rich."

Saché held his gaze confidently, a reaction he obviously wasn't expecting. Brent saw the smooth surface of her right hand where it always rubbed along the paper; the callus on her ring finger caused by her habit of holding the pencil wrong; and, of course, the Nabooan pearl strung on a gold chain around her neck- a present from Padmé to every É Society employee.

_They won't see us waving from such great heights_

"_Come down now," they'll say_

Well, she saw things too.

_But everything looks perfect from far away_

There were clumps of gel in his hair as if it had been hurriedly applied after a good messing up.

"_Come down now," but we'll stay_

The tiny smudge of lipstick right outside his lips. (Honestly.)

_I tried my best to leave_

The edge of a hickey barely hidden by a dress strap.

She smirked.

_This all on your machine_

_But the persistent beat it sounded thin_

She smirked. "Had a good makeout session?"

Nea's laughter shook the room.

OooOooO

(the day after)

_Today is the day, _Darra thought determinedly. _He took me to homecoming, he _has_ to like me._

The "he" in question was opening his locker, books tucked securely under his arm. She strode confidently over to him, flipping a strand of ginger hair behind one shoulder. "Hey, Ferus."

"Hey, Darra," he answered nonchalantly.

She frowned. _Pay more attention. I'm trying to ask you out._

Continuing on. "So, I was thinking that since-"

"Olin! History book?" Anakin Skywalker shouted across the hall, making her scowl. Skywalker was underprepared, as usual, and making her pay for it. Ferus dug his book out of his locker and pitched it to his frenemy, who caught it easily.

"What were you saying, Darra?"

_God. Pay attention. _"Since you took me to homecoming-"

An É Society girl- Yané, if she remembered correctly- popped up out of nowhere, a gorgeous package of long brown hair and big eyes of the same color. "Hey."

Ferus turned his attention to her immediately. "Yeah?"

"My blueprints," was all she said, and he dug papers out of his locker. They were promptly snatched out of his hand by the Nabooan, who inspected them carefully. "Thanks."

And it was only when Yané had completely submerged into the crowd that he finally turned to her. Again. "I am _really_ sorry, Darra. What is it?"

She took a deep breath in- might as well get it over with as soon as possible. "Ferus, will you go out with me?"

OooOooO

Yané was walking to the water fountain when she heard it. "It" being loud sobs followed by large gasps.

They were coming from inside the girls' bathroom, so she decided to forget the fountain (that was just an excuse because she really hated her creative writing class- Rex might "extol its virtues through a quick piece of prose", but she didn't). Pushing open the door, Yané found a fellow sophomore bawling her eyes out against the wall. Darra Thel-Tanis, if she remembered correctly. The girl who had been attempting to ask Ferus Olin out. She guessed that, since Thel-Tanis was now crying buckets, that it had not gone over very well.

"Hey," she said quietly, approaching the girl.

Red hair was violently pushed back, revealing eyes tinted with the same color. Combined with naturally rust-colored irises, it wasn't the prettiest sight.

"Y- Yané, right?" Thel-Tanis stammered pitifully, holding back the top half of her hair.

She nodded, pulling out an emergency rubber band. "Go wash your face."

Darra stood up and turned on the faucet. Satisfied, Yané dug out eyeliner and mascara from her pocket and started fixing her hair. Loose locks turned into a side French braid, then she spun the other girl around and layered on the makeup like it was the end of the world. Which, for Darra, it probably seemed to be.

She took a step back and looked at her work, ignoring Thel- Tanis' surprised expression. The other girl looked amazing, like she should.

"All right there, Darra," she said, patting her shoulder, "Go out there and prove to the world that a fall from such great heights doesn't mean it's Armageddon."

**Please read and review. ~jedikhaleesi**


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